Exercising apparatus



Feb. 21, 1928. y 1,660,234

P. PEZUT EXERGISING APPARATUS y Filed Jan. 18. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 21, 1928.

' P. PEZUTO ExERcIsING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 18. 1927 2 Sheets-Shoot 2 rf-if?.

Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

UNITED STA-rss llll'llllll PEZTO, 0F` CURWENSVILLE, IENNSYLVAN EXERCISING APPARATUS.

.lrppicfmon med January-18,1927. serial rra-161,886.

Ihis invention relates .to exercising'devices of that character Ywherein an elastic element is'used either connected at oney end to a wall or like support and lprovided at its opposite end with a handle orl handles, or used as a chest expander, as-it-'i'sI called, where the elastic element is provided-,with handles vat both ends.

r1`he general obj-ect ot y provide a device of this character which may be readily changed so that it may be used.

either as achest expander or as a wall supported exerciser.

A" further object is to provide a device which is compact, simply made, which may be economically produced, andy in which the elastic element may bey changed from time to time if it be desired to increaseordecrease the strength of the elastic element or if the elastic element loses its elasticity.

@ther objects have to do with :thedetails of construction and arrangement ofparts .tor

appear more fully hereinafter. Y

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of an exercising device constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Figure 1; v

Fi 5 is an end elevation of a handle mem er with its jaws open;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Figure 1;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Figure l;

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the exercising device as arranged for. a chest expander;

Fig. 9 is an elevation showing the exercising device arranged for other exercises.

My improved exercising device consists of an elastic element 10 which is formed preferably of a strip of highly elastic rubber or like material, such as a strip formed by or cut from an inner tube. This strip, in case the ydevice is to be used as a chest expander, is to be engaged at both ends with handles designated A, but in case the device is to be used as a wall supported exerciser, then one end of the strip 10 has engaged therewith the handle A and the other end of the strip has engaged therewith the detachable yoke B,vin place of the handle A, this yoke B bethe invention is to* ingso formed thatit may be engaged with a hook-fon a` wall'orother support.

Eachvhandle A is formed Vas illustrated in Y Figure v1 of two parallel,v relatively stili' andy stout wires 11 bent *to define a rectangular Vfigure, the wires being engaged at their ends by the sleeves 12 or othersuitable means and theconjoined ends of the wires being inserted within the tubular handleproper 13'. It will be seen that the'strips 12 which constitute sleeves for the ends of the wires 11 support each lyoke formed by the vrwire 11 in a, pivotal manner so that the free ends of the yoke-may be separated or may be brought togetherfor clamping'engagement with the rubber strip V10. l/Vhen brought together, as shown in Figure 1, the jaws thus formed are heldin clampingengagement with the rubber 10 by means ofthe rings 14. These rings may be slipped up on the Shanks of theyoke as shown in vdotted lines in Figure ,1, so las to permit-the opening'of the jawsl or may be slipped down,y as shown in full lines, so as to cause the jaws to clamp the rubber strip. It will be understood that there are two of the yokes A with theirhandles 13 and that these handle yokes may be engaged with opposite ends of the strip 10 or only one of the han' dle yokes need be engaged with one end of the strip 10 provided the other end of the strip is engaged with some ixed support.

For sthe purpose of engaging one end of the Strlp 10 with a lxed support I provide a yoke B which is also preferably formed of two wires 15 disposed side by side with the ends of the wires disposed within the hollow sleeves 16. Each sleeve 16 is preferably trifoliate in cross section. so as to provide three partially circular recesses withintwo of which the wires 15 are disposed side by side.

Disposed within the other'recess are the shanks 17 of a ring 18. Thus it will be seen that both members or jaws of the yoke B are capable of swinging movement within the sleeves 16 as is the hook 18. These jaws formed by the wires 15 may, however, be brought into clamping engagement with the strip 10'by the rings. 19which are capable of being shifted upon the yoke to either hold the jaws in clamping position or release the jaws. I do not wish to be limited to the. provision of aring in connection with the yoke B as a hook might be provided instead of the ring and I regard one as the equivalent of the other. Neither do I rwish to be limited to the exact construction of the yokes A and B as obviously details of these yokes might be variedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. j

In the use of this device, if a general exerciser is desired, two strips l0 are used, as illustrated in Figure 9, upon each one of which there is clamped ahandlevyoke A. The two strips are clamped between a single yoke B and this yokeis vengaged with a wall orother support by means of the hook 2O which engages the ring 18. Under these circumstances, the exerciser may bensed in the ordinary manner of this type of exerciser. Where it is desired to convert the device into an exerciser of the chest expander type, then the yoke B is disconnected froml the strip 10, the other handle yoke A is substituted in place thereof, and the exerciser can then be used in the; manner indicated. It will be seen .that my construction permits the substitution of a stronger or weaker strip 1Y0 for one in use or will permit the use of two or morev strips 10 between the yokes A or the yokes A and B. This strip 10 may be cut wider or narrower or thicker or thinner and, as before remarked, may be made from an old inner tube. Thus the exerciser may be readily adjusted to suit the amount of exercise desired.

While I have heretofore referred to theuse of'this exercising apparatus by grasping the handles B and thereby expanding the elastic strips or bands 10, the apparatus may also be used by inserting the foot in one of" the other yoke A .by hand or the foot may be inserted in the yoke B and the handle A beY hands, and inserting his foot in the yokes A.,

Thus, it will be seen that a large number V` yokes A and raising or lowering the I of different exercises may be secured bythe y use of this device.

' I claimt-- e An exercising apparatus including an elastic Vstrip and a yoke detachablyengaging the end of the strip, said yoke comprising two many-sided clamping jaws open on one side, a tubular handle into which the ends of the clamping jaws are inserted, the clamping jaws being disposed in approximate conmitting the clamping jaws to have swinging movement with relation to each other, Vand v rings slidable along said jaws to or lfrom a clamping position.

In testimony whereof I hereuntoafiix my signature.

yPETER PEZUTO.

tact with each other, sleeves embracing the inserted ends of the clamping jaws and per-v 

